Marsupials are unique among mammals because their young are born at an extremely early stage of development, attach to their mother's teats and complete their subsequent development while in a protective pouch.

Marsupials and the ancestors of placental mammals diverged 180 million years ago. By comparing the opossum and human genomes, researchers were able to pinpoint genetic elements that are present in placental mammals, but missing from marsupials - that is, the genetic factors that may underlie many of the differences between the two types of mammals.Scienists are still searching for the koala "cuteness" gene.

A Koala walks into a restaurant, sits down and orders dinner. After he has finished eating, the waiter brings him his bill. The koala suddenly shoots the waiter and heads for the door. The restaurant owner runs over and stops him."You can't come into my restaurant, eat my food, kill my waiter and then walk out! Who do you think you are?"The koala says "A Koala. Look it up."The owner gets a dictionary and looks up koala. It say, "Marsupial. Eats shoots and leaves."(You know, as in shoots and leaves off a eucalyptus tree!)

Basic Koala Facts

First, koalas are NOT bears, they are marsupials, a special kind of mammal that carries its young in a pouch.
Koalas have soft, wool-like fur that is gray above and white below.
The come from Australia, and prefer to live in eucalyptus forests and low woodlands.
They eat eucalyptus leaves and bark.
They are nocturnal, and sleep 16 hours a day.
They are arboreal, which means they love in trees.
They are considered an endangered species.

Size:
Size is larger in the southern regions of Australia. Head-body length in the south average 30.7 in./78 cm for males and 28 in./72 cm for females.

Weight:
Average 26 lbs/11.8 kg for southern males and 17.4 lbs/7.9 kg for southern females. In the north, males average 14.3 lbs/6.5 kg; females 11.2 lbs/5.1 kg. At birth young weighs only 0.5 gm. (They are about the size of a lima bean.)